Local festivals offer a taste of Nebraska culture

All-day celebrations, ethnic eats and main street parades are just a sampling of what you’ll find at Nebraska’s many local festivals. For a cool summertime experience, we recommend some of the state’s hottest festivals: Annual Celebration in Nebraska’s Official 4th of July City, Seward, July 4 “America’s Small Town 4th of July City” hosts an old-fashioned family festival every July 4. More than 40,000 visitors help the town celebrate with a grand parade, concerts and, of course, fireworks. Fur Trade Days, Chadron, July 13–15 Chadron’s Fur Trade Days relives the area’s history as a key stop along North American fur trade routes. The festival, which began in 1977, features a weeklong schedule of events, most notably a three-day encampment of “Buckskinners” who re-enact the lives of mountain men and fur traders. There’s also a car show, a parade and the self-proclaimed “World Championship Buffalo Chip Toss.” 51^st Annual Wilber Czech Festival, Wilber, Aug. 3–5 The “Czech Capital of the U.S.” salutes the town’s heritage with three days of cultural activities. Events include a “Duck and Dumpling Run,” a parade, concerts and the crowning of a local Czech-Slovak king, queen and princess. For those looking for a true taste of the Czech culture, there will be plenty of authentic food on hand, including roast pork and duck, sausage, kraut, dumplings and, of course, kolaches. Nebraska Balloon and Wine Festival, Omaha, Aug. 10–11 Wine and balloons take flight at this annual event. Attendees can sample Nebraska wine and beer as they watch the balloons ascend. After the sun sinks and the night’s concert begins, the magical Balloon Glow begins, as balloon operators make their balloons dance to a musical beat. The event also features a food and wine showcase with some of the area’s most renowned chefs and wine experts. Kool-Aid Days, Hastings, Aug. 10–12 Eighty-five years after it was invented by Nebraska native Edwin Perkins, Kool-Aid is still refreshing Americans of all ages. Hastings’ annual Kool-Aid Days toasts the drink with games, contests and gallons of Kool-Aid (in 14 different flavors). A highlight of this year’s event is the newly renovated “Kool-Aid Discover the Dream” exhibit at the Hastings Museum. Find more local festivals at VisitNebraska.gov.